


thanks for the save

by rybari



Category: Stand Still Stay Silent
Genre: Drabble, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-10
Updated: 2016-03-10
Packaged: 2018-05-25 19:46:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6207802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rybari/pseuds/rybari
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Reynir has to thank Onni, Onni isn't used to being thanked, or talking to someone this excited.</p>
            </blockquote>





	thanks for the save

**Author's Note:**

> Influenced by the wonderful Madame Folie, and the recent pages, because as if Reynir isn't going to geek out next time he sees Onni.

It’s silent, or close to it. Onni sighs, pulling his cloak more tightly around him. It’s been years since he’s felt secure enough to just…dream, as non-mages do. He tends to doze in the dreamspace these days. A few years ago, he’d sit and think through all that had happened. A decade ago, he used to use the time to plan out how he’d pay the rent.

But he was content now with listening to the slow rippling water and the rocks as they shifted in their places. In the distance, there was a bird’s cry; fake. He’d never see this part of Saimaa again, but it was enough to breathe in the late-fall air, crisping at the edges with winter.

Then he felt something breach his perimeters. Onni jumped to his feet, and turned, magic running through his veins to grab the spirit that was rushing him –

And was not prepared for the red-headed foreign mage to barrel into him, flinging his arms around his neck.

“Onni!” he yelped, “You!!! Saved our lives!!!”

“Oh.” Onni managed, thrusting an arm out to keep from falling over. The foreigner wasn’t _heavy_ , but there was a lot of him. “You’re welcome. It was nothing.”

“Nothing?!” The foreigner squeezed before letting go, an easy grin on his face. “You turned into this huge owl and just – _phoosh,_ you know, you made _all_ the ghosts go away! It was incredible!”

Onni shrugged. He felt odd under the young man’s gaze - the same kind of odd when he glimpsed him in his dream space, wide-eyed and in awe of a relatively simple spell. It wasn’t comforting to think that this mage probably had as much training as Lalli did.

But his silence had discomfited the lad. He ran his hand through flyaway hair, chuckling nervously. “Um, but, that’s all in a day’s work for a proper mage, of course. I just wanted to thank you, for saving my – saving all of us!”

There was something very fragile about him, and Onni had the distinct feeling that he would fold in on himself if something wasn’t done soon. Onni replied, “We haven’t formally met. You know my name, but I don’t know yours.”

“Oh! Reynir, Reynir Àrnason.” He stuck his hand out and almost thought the better of it, but Onni managed to shake it before he was paralyzed by indecision. “And you’re Onni Hotakainen!”

“Yes.” Onni said. Reynir had green eyes, and freckles. Up close like this, with a name and a face, Onni was a little mortified to discover that he was actually good-looking. Spirits usually tried to wear appealing shapes, so he’d written off his appearance when he’d first met him, but this? This was a tad unfair.

“Haha, um.” Reynir patted the back of his hand. Onni startled to realize he was still holding it. “Not that I mind holding your hand, if that’s a Finnish thing, but, uhm – ”

“Right! Yes.” Onni said, resisting the urge to jump. “I suppose I was just – wondering, how you found my space.”

Reynir brightened at this, and went on and on about a dog (his luonto, or the foreign equivalent anyhow, Onni supposed) and directions and following stars. It was like listening to a disorganized spell book. Onni was caught off guard when Reynir cut himself off, squared his shoulders, and said “I have another reason to be here, though.”

“Oh?” Onni said.

“I wanted to ask if you could teach me. Mage stuff.” Reynir gulped. His cheeks reddened. Onni wondered if his cloak was too thick for him. “I mean I know your spells are in Finnish but I was wondering if spending time with you – around you! – would help me figure out how to do magic.”

Tipping his head to one side, Onni shrugged. “We have different gods.”

“Well, yeah, but there has to be _some_ overlap, right?” Reynir was taller by a good few inches, but what he was doing couldn’t be called ‘looming’ over Onni. It felt more like begging from a very large and affectionate dog.  “I have to learn. I want to help next time something like that happens.”

That got Onni’s attention. He looked Reynir over again with new eyes. He’s willowy and useless-looking, but he had the fortitude to navigate the dark ocean almost every night. With time and training, that could be a good scouting tactic. Maybe even a good offensive.

And it would keep Tuuri safe.

“Meet back here around the same time.” Onni said. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Reynir bounced on his toes, then flung himself at Onni again. This time, the hug only lasted a second before Reynir stepped back and grinned, the red from his hair pairing with the red of his face. He really needed to wear less heavy clothing, thought Onni. “Thank you!” Reynir squeaked. He bounced a couple more times, started off, then yelled “I’ll see you tomorrow!” over his shoulder.

Onni wondered, a little amused, if he was that energetic all the time.


End file.
